1898-1902. No. 16.J FLOW. PLANTS AND FERNS OF N.-W. GREENLAND. 7 



ical geography of the region in question. A first look at the map of 

 N. W. Greenland shows that most parts of it are typical fjord-lands. 

 There are exceptions to this in the shore of Melville Bay, and along the 

 Kane Basin and Kennedy Channel, all of which are less indented. Most 

 parts of the coast are high and bold, either forming a tableland falling 

 abruptly down to the shore, or broken up by deep valleys. Many favo- 

 rable localities for the development of a, thriving vegetation are thus 

 formed; and in many places the richness of bird-life also helps to make 

 the soil favorable for plant-life. The rich green of the manured soil in 

 and below the rookeries of auks and other sea-birds, makes them dis- 

 cernible from afar. Doubtless, therefore, the arms of the larger fjords 

 also, especially Inglefield Gulf where the climate is less severe than 

 along the outer coast, where the cliffs form breedingplaces for in- 

 numerable birds, and where valleys of considerable extent trend 

 inland are by far the richest in number of species as well as in density 

 of vegetation, whereas the open coast is comparatively poor. Along the 

 shore of Melville Bay, where every valley is filled by a glacier, there is 

 of course space for very little vegetation. Further northwards come the 

 richest districts, Wolstenholme Sound, Inglefield Gulf and Foulke Fjord 

 with their adjacent ice-free land. Now, indeed, this ice-free coast land 

 is continued by a fairly broad stretch along the Kane Basin to the 

 Humboldt Glacier; and to the north there occurs a still broader expanse 

 of ice-free land, but very few plants are known from these parts. How- 

 ever, I am inclined to think that, for instance, the slopes and table-lands 

 along the Kennedy Channel might be apt to contain a rather well-deve- 

 loped vegetation. It must, however, be borne in mind, that these regi- 

 ons are far less accurately investigated than the southern coast parts. 

 Only one of the expeditions which have been there has had a member 

 specially acting as botanist; and, apart from the wintering of the Polaris 

 at Thank God Harbour, only casual visits have been made to the north- 

 ern parts of the North- Western Greenland coast, mostly during the un- 

 favorable season. 



Another point always to be borne in mind is the diversity of the 

 geological nature of the different parts of the coast-line. About this 

 there is, however, very little known, as most expeditions have had no 

 members able either to recognize the rocks belonging to different geolog- 

 ical systems, or to determine fossils; and, in most cases, no collections 

 seem to have been made. Yet some indications are to be found, 

 especially in DE RANGE and FEILDEN, Appendix 15, Geology, in NARES, 

 Narrative. NATHORST, N. W. Gronl., also mentions that at Ivsugigsok the 



